Trailer hitch



Sept. 9, 1941.

L. L. LUSE TRAILER HITCH Filed Sept. 50, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet: 2

j: il

. BY I 2 iNVENTOR.

LEO LUSE.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 9, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TRAILER HITCH Leo L.Luse, Painesville, Ohio Application September 30, 1940, Serial No.359,111

3 Claims. (Cl. 5580-33-44) This invention relates to a hitch forattaching a trailer to an automobile, its purposes including theprovision of such a hitch of simpler and sturdier construction thanhitherto known, and which can be fastened to the towing car in a moreefficient manner than has hitherto been the case and in such a way thatthe pulling of the trailer will not interfere with theriding qualitiesof the towing car. A further purpose is to provide a hitch which initself gives all the spring action necessary between the towing car andthe trailer, and which is easy of application and of release, but ispositively fastened when in use so that it can not work apart or comeundone except by the intentional operative manipulation of the user.

One of the important advantages of my invention is that the pulling isentirely done from the running gear of the towing car and not from thebody. Thus when the trailer is pulled there is no tendency to hold downthe rear end of the towing car and raise its front, nor is there anyload on the towing cars springs at any time due to such weight as iscarried by the front end of the trailer. Sidesway of the towing car isnot increased when pulling the trailer around a corner, since the pullof the trailer has no effect whatever on the car body. In presentpractice of towing trailers, it is generally considered necessary to putwhat are known as helper springs under the rear end of the car body toreinforce the regular springs, and thus to accommodate and compensatefor the additional downward pull of the trailer on the car body. Helpersprings are rendered entirely unnecessary by my invention, and the onlyprovision that needs to be made for towing the trailer is to inflate therear tires of the towing car to greater pressure than the front tires.This additional pressure of course can easily be valved out when thereis no trailer attached, whereas helper springs are permanently attachedbut have the disadvantageous effect of needlessly raising the rear endof the body-when no trailer is attached, and also of making the rear endride hard.

Other aims and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing description and from the accompanying illustrative drawings.In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing the rear portion of the running gear of apassenger car and the front end of a trailer being pulled thereby,attached by my improved hitch;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation corresponding to Fig. 1, with certainportions in vertical section;

- Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical elevation on the plane 3-3 of Fig. 2,but on a larger scale, and with certain parts sectionalized;

Fig. 4 is a composite vertical section on a plane transverse to that ofFig. 3 and shown by the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the plane 5-5 of Fig. 3, with parts inelevation;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged transverse vertical section on the plane 6-6 ofFig. 2, with parts in elevation;

Fig. 7 is a view corresponding to Fig. 6 but at right angles thereto, onplane 1-1 of Fig, 6;

Fig. 8 is a transverse vertical elevation with parts in section, showingthe attachment of the hitch to the trailer, the View being taken onplane 88 of Fig. 1;

Fig. .9 is an enlarged horizontal section on plane 99 of Fig. 8, withparts in elevation;

Fig. 10 is a perspective of the attachment bar which is fastened to thetowing car, one suitable form-being shown; and

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the hitch bar by itself.

In Figs. 1 and 2 a passenger automobile I is illustrated as towing ahouse type trailer 2, but it will be appreciated that these are merelytypes, and that my hitch may be adapted to other and heavier loadspulled by trucks or tractors. The rear axle, transmission and associatedparts of the towing car are generally represented at 3 and aconventional hitch attachment including a triangular frame on thetrailer is generally represented at 4. It will be appreciated that thesegeneral representations are merely illustrative and are susceptible ofmodification according to specific types of automobiles and specifictypes of trailers, and that certain details of my attachment may bemodified accordingly as required by the particular constructions withwhich used.

The hitch comprises a hitch bar ll so proportioned in stiffness,diameter and length as to be.

effectively flexible under the transverse stresses expected intheservice for which it is designed. By way of example I will mentionthat the hitch bar may conveniently be made of a steel tube from 6 to 7feet long overall, 2% inches outside diameter, with 4 inch wallthickness, as a typical suitable size and weight for coupling ordinarytrailers to passenger cars. I It will be understood that thesedimensions are subject to variation'according to the circumstances inwhich the hitch is used, such circumstances including the weight of thetrailer, the-power of the towing car, and so on.

' apt to impair its spring properties.

, ,zontal.

The front of the hitch bar ll carries a coupling head which mayconveniently be in the form of a disc'IZ secured thereto or formedthereon. For example, the head is shown as a unitary forging includingthe disc l2 and a rod or shank [4 which fits in the front end of thetube and is welded or otherwise firmly secured therein. Well back of themidlength of the hitch bar, say about 2 feet from the rear end if thebar is on the orderof 6 or 7 feet long, a

sleeve is secured, preferably by a through pin 7 it rather than bywelding, since it is desirableto maintain the'resiliency of thebar'throughout its length whereas the heat of welding wouldbe" A saddleH.

is welded or otherwise secured to one side of the sleeve, and a stem i8carrying a ball [9' on upper end is fast to and extends fromthe topvportion of this saddle, all being firmly secured together, so that thehitch bar with all attachmer ts will be moved as a unit, particularlywhen turned about the'axis of the bar H. A pin 22ist-firmlysetjthroughlthe bar ll at a point fairly close;to the rear endofthe bar.

The preferred means of attaching thehitch bar to the; towingcancomprises across-bar 24 with a coupling socket, Z5v secured thereto andcarried thereby, preferably beneath, so as to in the sleeve 43 is forthe purpose of keeping the hitch bar ll pointing along the axis ofthetrailer, also to give a steadying effect and to cause or assist in acertain spring action which will presently be described.

The horizontal amplitude of the slot 34 is aacient to allow as wideswinging motion of the hitch bar H as can be obtained while retainingthe necessary clearance ofthe rear wheels of the car. Thus, as shownin'Fig'. 1, the car and trailer can turn to a relative mutual angle ofabout 135,

- between the dotted positions HA and llB, as

' also shown in Fig. 5.

To couple up, the rear end of the hitch bar I! l is inserted in thesleeve 43, with the disc I2 horizontal, the disc i2 is inserted throughthe slot 34 intothe socket Z5. Thereafter the hitch bar II is turned 90on its own axis, using the saddle I! or ball I9 as a convenient handle,so as to bring; the disc'l2'upright into locking position,

which also brings the ball 19 in position to be fastened into theconnection 31- on the trailer. The attachment or connection 4'! is 'thenclosedby putting its forward block-49 in place against permit the hitchb'ariflli to extend below the" '1 gasoline tank and the rear bumper,butcwithi no parts belowthe bottom of the differential case 31 Ingtheform shown in Fig. 10,which.of

course may bemodified as required by. the speci-' ficf cbnstructioh'of;various typ'esof cars, the cross-barhas two' forwardly projecting arms'21.

spaced far enough out from the center to clear theidifierentialfillg aswill ibestbe seen inFig. 1.

' It' 'is attached to the rear axlefi'l by U-bolts 28,

at .it's ends to the;car springsby other- U-bolts 32. The couplingsocket-.25 horizontally slotted as at 34 to receive the coupling head [2when. thehead. i2. is. turned with its flat faces; hori- The socket isalso internally hollowed T at top and bottom, so as to: engage the headI2 and lock'it in thesocket'wh'en the hitch bar is I turnedabout the baraxis fromthe entrance positionf so as to bring the flat faces ofhead3.l2

-vertical.

. Theatriangular frame'generally indicated as 4'. in Figs. 1 and 2illustrates a standard hitch.connection' for lie across the frame 4,preferably underthe front endjof the'trailer, all as'shown in Figsyl,

For another thing, in going over irregularities in the road the bar ll,being resilient, itself acts trailers. I fasten a drop-center yoke 2and'8. Two upstanding ears 42 are secured to thei droppedlcenter of theyoke, and a sleeveor socketd3 is mounted on these ears by trunnions 44,with its opening extending lengthwise of the trailer 2. The ,bore of thesleeve is such as to sliding fit. The front end of'the tube may benotched asati d5 to receive the positioning pin 22 asshown in ,Figs.Sand 9.-

at the apex of the attachmentrod's 4.- This cou-' pling, whichgconsistsof a pair of. separable blocks it-and tammunm socketed so as to receive7 andhold the stem l8 and ball I9, is not in itself apart of my,invention; and if some other coupling iss substituted, the-steml8andball l9 will be replacedbyotherconnections adapted to the. couplingusedon-the trailer',- but such substitutes will be, carried upon-themember l1,

In'operation the-:hitch bar doesits. pulling between the couplingheadIlZ and ,the'ballz con nec'tion' l9, so that the rear portion of thebar receive the rear end of the hitch bar [I with a A'conventionaltrailer couplingMislattaohd; 7

as a spring, or as a resilient lever of the second or third order, withfulcrum in the sleeve 43.-

For exampleif there is; a downward .or upward tendency on the connectionil, it will resultin some bending of the hitch rod- H, but since-the rodisin effect a spring, it will straighten when, thebending stress'isremoved. Thus thehi'tch bar isitsown spring, and the various springattachments in addition tow the towing bar. which areused in trailerhitches are not needed. The same action applies for sideward movement,al-:

though primarily the spring action is necessary in 'a trailer hitch-toallow the freedom needed:

for going over bumps in the road. However,

when a stop is; made the trailer front noses, down, and the springaction works as a cushion:

between trailer and car.

It will be appreciated that while I have herein shown and described aparticular form and application of a trailerhitch, the. disclosure is:not to be taken as limiting the invention,,butlasi illustrative, andthat the: invention may be-appliedin other detailed manners and.mechanisms,

including heavy. commercial hauling, pulling farm implement's bytractors, and other uses, all

such modifications being. within the: scope .of the claims appendedhereto.

I claim? 1'. A trailer coupling comprising in combination an attachmentfor a car axle, said attach 'men't includinga coupling element; a singleres'ilient; pol'e adapted'to connect with said couplingelement atoneend, an attachment for the trailer comprising a movably mounted elementengageable withthe rearend of said 'polei-but allowing relativeaxialmotion therewith, and an intermediate attachment upon, the'poleconnect-. ed with the pulling coupling onithe trailer..

g2. A trailer coupling'comprisi-ngincombinationa cross bar adapted-Torattachment to a-car." axle, a coupling element attached to said bar withno part below the bottom of the differential casing, a single resilienthitch bar, a connection on one end of said hitch bar adapted to engagesaid coupling element, an attachment for the trailer comprising amovably mounted element engageable with the rear end of said hitch barbut allowing relative axial motion therewith, an intermediate couplingattachment upon said hitch bar, and a coupling element on the trailer inadvance of said movably mounted element, and adapted to engage with saidintermediate coupling attachment.

3. A trailer hitch comprising a tube, a flat cylindrical coupling headon the forward end of said tube, a coupling receptacle complementary tosaid head secured to a towing vehicle, said receptacle comprising ahollow body with an external wall slot of dimensions to admit said headwhen turned in one direction and to hold it when turned in anotherdirection, a sleeve secured intermediate the length of said tube, acoupling member secured to said sleeve and offset from said tube, acoupling element on a trailer adapted to engage said last-named couplingmember, a transverse pin secured near the rear end of said tube, areceptacle on the trailer rearward of said sleeve and adapted to receivethe rear end of said tube and a notch on the front end of saidreceptacle adapted to engage said transverse pin when said tube is inits coupled position.

LEO L. LUSE.

